1939: Bobsledding

Lake Placid, N. Y., is the shrine of the bobsledders in the United States, and it was there, on the Mount Hoevenberg run, that all of the American bobsledding championships were decided during the early winter of 1939. Robert Linney, named No. 1 pilot, had with him on his four-man team William J. Stacawitch. Arthur Keysor, and Angus Clair, who, by virtue of their victory in the North American championship on Feb. 22, are the Olympic entry for the coming Olympic games, deferred by the war. Linney built his own all-metal sled, called the Iron Clipper.

Ivan Brown and Bob Washbond, winners of the 1936 two-man Olympic title, won the majority of the two-man events in 1939, at Lake Placid taking the North American on Feb. 19, 1939, the National A. A. U., on Jan. 21, and the Adirondack A. A. U. titles on Jan. 14. In the absence of Linney's four-man team, Francis Tyler's Snow Birds of Lake Placid won three four-man trophies, the Governor Lehman on Jan. 29, the Lithgow-Osborne on Feb. 5 and the Samuel H. Packer on Jan. 30; the national A. A. U. four-man championship held at Lake Placid, Jan. 22, was kept by Aubrey (Bucky) Wells and his crew from Keene Valley, N. Y.

During the past season nineteen toboggan races were completed, more than in any other season since bobsledding was organized as a competitive sport in the United States. A total of 112 competitors raced during the season.